


Embers

by Sehyo



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, De-Aged Characters, Falling In Love, First Kiss, M/M, One Shot, Starker, Starker Week, Summer Camp, Summer Love, Teenage Tony Stark, Young Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:40:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25720714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sehyo/pseuds/Sehyo
Summary: Before he leaves his small town and small town life behind, eighteen year old Tony Stark is made to work his final summer before college at the local camp. It's an easy gig for quick cash and keeps him out of his usual trouble, not that it feels worth it.Until Peter. Then Tony wishes that summer would last forever.
Relationships: Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, Peter Parker/Tony Stark
Comments: 2
Kudos: 44





	Embers

\----

Sometimes it was the scent in the air. The warm nights during the summer, humidity at an all time high. The smells of drying grass, the faintness of a breeze that first dusted a body of water.

Sometimes it was in a feeling. The moment right before you fall asleep, a wash of calmness no matter stressed the day brought on.

Sometimes it was in a moment. A look, a laugh, an action that bore a striking resemblance.

And sometimes it was in a sound. A echo of a once familiar voice, a call from a crowd, the first few musical notes to a song that reached through time from then to now.

The song that was currently playing over the car radio. Drifting through the honking car horns, angry yells and monotone city sounds that droned on the same each and every day. The melody captured Tony Stark, caught him off guard and pulled him away from the real world traffic jam he was wedged in. Left that world behind for a visit to the past instead.

—

Summer. ’88, hot and sticky. Even the small breeze coming from the nearby lake didn’t cool anything down. It was awful and could be seen in the faces of not only an eighteen year old Tony, but the rest of the grumbling camp councillors sat around an unlit pile of logs, awaiting their instructions. The kids hadn’t arrived yet, thankfully and the day was the warmest on record. Or so it felt that way, he didn’t know. Heard something about it on the radio but he was only half listening. All he knew was it wasuncomfortable, crammed in on butt aching logs with their matching neon yellow t-shirts on with the camp’s naming written in garish orange across the front. Whoever decided these colours was either colour blind or blind altogether. At least they all looked the same, idiots together sitting in a circle.

He didn't want a summer job but his mother made him. Told him he wasn’t spending the summer before college getting wasted, chasing skirts and getting into scuffles. He didn’t always mean to get into those, come home with a black eye or a cut lip, but it came with the getting wasted part usually. And he didn’t chase skirts. He much preferred open shirts and rock hard abs but what Mrs Stark didn’t need to know wouldn’t hurt her.

So, in order to appease her and not get a beating with a belt from his father, again, he found a job going at the run down old summer camp and applied. Shocked he got in really, considering his well known reputation on being somewhat of a… rough type. But, the people than ran it didn’t live in his small town, they didn’t know he had a packet of cigarettes snuck down the back of his jeans right now, or that he’d drove that Happy Hogan kid off the road and onto the dirt track on his way here because the young boxer had gotten into a punch up with his best friend Rhodey earlier that week. Gave him a shiner and chipped tooth. Now Hogan had a broken bumper and a bone to pick with Tony when he came back home. Nice. Some excitement waiting on him and his knuckles.

They thought he’d be good with some of the kids. They usually came from the inner city, had never so much as seen a tree before in their lives other than the fake ones at Christmas so this was new ground for them. They had attitudes sometimes too, grew up needing one to survive. Maybe they sensed Tony’s brazen demeanour beneath the pleasant face he put on, knew he might find a way to relate to these kids that would chew up and spit out the rest of the country bumpkins around here.

He knew a few faces from the next town over, the place that had the new mall built, but he wasn’t friendly with them. The red head, Natasha, more widely known as Nat, knew him immediately, recognised him from the bust up with her buddy Clint Barton outside the convince store. Tony was drunk and Clint had a good right hook. His body hit the floor before his mind knew what had happened. In a way he was thankful though, as Clint had grabbed his face and spat at him he was glad it was him that knocked Tony down rather than the biker gang he was attempting to hassle before noticing Nat smoking a limp light by the dumpster and trying to flirt his way to get a cinder. Clint also said he was lucky Nat didn’t get a hold of him first or he’d be dead.

She said “Hi,” and Tony nodded his head as they walked in earlier. There was no point in holding grudges in small towns unless someone really wronged you, and that didn’t count if someone was out their face drunk. If she asked him, he’d share a smoke with her, a peace offering.

Steve Rogers was there, of course. Golden boy Rogers, filling out more of his impressive resume by spending yet another summer helping those underprivileged like it was his duty. Nah, that wasn’t fair, he was a good guy. Too good. And all he did was help others, but it turns out his life was not as smooth and easy as he let on to be. He deserved all the praise he got realistically, it was just he and Tony moved in different circles and in Tony’s circles, Steve’s achievements were something to be sneered at. Empathy was weak. Tony didn’t believe that, and quietly admired the kid for his tenacity. He didn’t tell anyone he had applied and got accepted to MIT. They’d start sneering at him too.

Small town living was suffocating, and even though he wanted to waste the summer with a can of cheep beer in hand, indulging in every aspect of who he had been while living there, Tony was relieved that at the end he’ll be leaving this hellhole in the dust.

The briefing lasted an hour or so, everyone getting a chance to introduce themselves slightly for those who cared to learn their name immediately before getting told the basics that the newspaper job ad didn't have enough ink to print. Tony shrugged his way through his, played himself off as the quiet, only in it for the ease and the cash deal which was almost all the truth. He left out the part that looking after a bunch of kids stopped him causing a ruckus down at the old car lot and arguing with the local sherif into the late hours. Nat probably had an idea but she still nodded with everyone else, who smiled warmly in greeting to their fellow councillor.

She too was quiet, but told everyone she was using the money she made here this summer to move to the coast and maybe see some of the world, bit by bit. She made no mention of Clint, but Tony saw what she was really saying. When all this was over, she and Barton were running away together. Perhaps from the demons that held them here or perhaps with dreams of starting over as new faces and names somewhere far away that nothing from the past could touch them. Whatever they were running from, Tony hoped they’d make it.

Steve was friendly and firm, like a true leader. He told everyone that he looked forward to enriching the lives of the youngsters coming here, letting them experience things that they found hard to come by at home and push them to challenge themselves. And following everyone else giving a little bit of personal information, told everyone he was going to use the well earned money after it to go visit his old, dear pal Bucky in the next state over before school started back up. Tony would later learn in years to come that Bucky Barnes was an inmate in the state penitentiary, done some really bad things in his young life, influenced by the worst kinds of people. Yet Steve stuck by his best friend and that was something truly remarkable. Tony wondered if Rhodey would visit him if too had done something so bad to end up serving a long jail time. Probably not, but he would be waiting for him on the other side. Or so he’d said one night when they’d sat up on the roof of his old man’s pickup. Rhodes was loyal, and had been the only one to encourage Tony to go for MIT. “Get out before this place ties you up without a key.” He said, and Tony knew he was right. Rhodey couldn’t leave, his dad was struggling more with each passing day. One day he’d take to the skies and fly those jets he always dreamed about, but until that day, he’d be the only thing Tony would come back here for.

Just as he assumed they were finished and everyone grew restless, there was a final voice that piped up through the mumbling. Everyone grew quiet again and sat back to allow the last speaker to introduce themselves. Tony leaned back on the uncomfortable log, though sat forward when he felt his flimsy packet of contraband cigs bend in the waistband. He hoped he hadn’t snapped them. He glanced up properly then to look at who was speaking, and when he did he stared like the rest of them. “Hi everyone. My name is Peter.” Peter wasn’t from around here, it was clear immediately. He screamed city boy, they all had that same look. Soft features, pale skin from never seeing the sun between the buildings or working in backbreaking heat. His hair was styled but not overly like the posers who stopped by the motel on their road trips to the backwater beyond. They had that cut in feathered look, or bleached unsightly yellow blonde. Peter’s hair was a chestnut brown, had a natural bounce in it, like it wanted to curl but couldn’t quite make it. He didn’t come across as air headed either, or with false ideas about everyone being hillbillies or whatever. He was polite for one, a little too rigid but it was just nerves. And after he told them he was indeed from the city and was hoping to get some perspective on the world, just like the kids coming here, he smiled. A dazzling, real flash of teeth that had Tony lift his head up higher just to see it. They caught eyes across the unlit campfire. His eyes matched the colours of the forest all together at once. Tony’s heart beat one beat too many.

—

“Look kid, you weren’t allowed to bring your skateboard here because theres no place to ride it. All the sticks would get caught up in your wheels. Now get down to the lake with the rest of them. You’ll miss the swimming lesson.” Tony sighed as he was asked the third time that day why skateboards were outlawed at camp. They might roll smoothly over sidewalks and pavings, but not on the forest trails. He watched as the kid ran off the the lakeside where the swim instructor was, along with a second group of kids. All geared up, excited to jump in the lake, much bigger and more open than the city baths.

“One of mine asked me earlier about roller skates. I can just imagine the scraped knees and the hours of crying.”

Peter was stood beside Tony as they watched their kids get into the water.

“Can you swim?” He asked.

“Yeah. I learned in that very lake. You?” Tony replied, remembering how he had trashed about in the freezing waters believing he would drown until he realised how to use his arms and legs to propel his body through the waves.

“Not that well. I could paddle around though, not drown immediately.” Peter chuckled out. The first time Tony heard him laugh. He still remembered it, soft and sweet but with a husky note at the end. He wanted more the moment it stopped.

“Tony right?” Peter came into his line of vision with a pleasant expression on his face. Tony’s dark eyes flickered to him away from the kids splashing and squealing in the water to nod and then scratch his beard a little. He looked down at Peter’s hand when it extended towards him. “Nice to meet you. Its gonna be a good summer, I can already tell.”

Peter’s hands were always warm Tony came to find. Smooth too, delicate fingers and soft touches. When they shook hands for the first time though, Tony was very aware of the rough skin surrounding his knuckles. Peter never mentioned it, but lingered on them a few times, running circles along them like he was trying to fix them. Tony’s knuckles would always hurt, but the other persons face would hurt more.

-

“Theres no way you haven’t tried a bagel!” Peter exclaimed as the campfire flickered into the night. The stars were out and the embers resembled the few fireflies fluttering around. “God, Tony you haven’t lived!”

“Ive survived up until now without one. I bet they aren’t all they say they are. Most things you hear about on tv are overrated and never live up to it.” Tony shot back, but couldn’t help chuckling lightly as Peter feigned offence and nudged him with his elbow.

“New York bagels are everything and more! I should know!”

“Because you’re one?”

Peter raised an eyebrow and made a face, halfway between exasperation and a teasing smirk. “I bet I’d be tasty if I was.”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out.”

Tony regretted being so forward, lost himself for a second and cured inwardly when everything went quiet for a period. The fire crackled and the scent of burning wood filled their nostrils. Peter got up and went to bed shortly after with a quiet, “Goodnight.”

It was only then by the glow of the flames did Tony realise Peter had been blushing just as brightly the whole time.

—

“Steve said you hang around his town more often that your own.”

“Yeah. Theres more to do up there, plus they just got a mall built. Nothing like your million store department kinds but, more than the convenience store and the gas station.”

The dining hall was loud as everyone ate but Peter acted as if they were the only two there. It was someone else turn to be on dinner duty anyway.

“He also said you have quite a reputation.” Peter shrugged, and Tony froze. Rogers was running his mouth off about him at bit too damn much all of a sudden, more than Tony liked to hear. He didn’t want to have to pull him round the back of the camp to find out why he was spreading around Tony’s business, but if needs must.

“Did he now? And what did you say back?” He asked, dipping his spoon into his soup and glancing up at Peter over the bowl. Surprisingly, the other boy wasn’t backing away or frowning. His eyes glinted and his lips pulled up in a smirk, something that made Tony’s cheeks heat as much as his next words.

“That I like a man with a bit of character.”

His hand was warm around the campfire that night, even without the flames warming them. In the shadow of their bodies sitting close together, Peter brushed his soft finger tips over Tony’s knuckles again and then down his hand. Tony caught them between his and held them there. They fit between his perfectly.

—

“He likes you y’know.” Nat said it so matter of fact that Tony nearly choked on his inhale of smoke. She dabbed her own ash away between her fingers as Tony recovered. They were huddled round the back of the outhouse while the kids and the others went a small hike in on the trail.

“We’ve only just met!” Tony spluttered out, leaning on the wooden building with his palm flat. Nat rolled her shoulders and took a long drag. “Anyway, who says I swing that way?”

“You don’t need to say it if its written all over your face Stark. I can see the way you look at him. And its hard to not notice the way he looks at you.” She cooly explained, always with the same monotone, like nothing in the world phases her. She must have seen a lot in her young years for that to be the case. No wonder she wanted to skip it to the coast. She took another long drag before dropping the butt, burying it under a small amount of dirt with her sneaker. The plume of grey smoke drifted out her mouth and into the blue skies as she spoke. “You cant fight who you fall for and thats just the way it is. Time is irrelevant too but just remember, summer wont last forever. Then its back to the city and all its bright lights for him and… back to drunken fights and pathetic friends for you. I don’t see what you’ve got to lose.”

Her red hair flicked round her shoulders as she walked away, leaving Tony to mull over her words as he took his own last draw of his cig.

He hated to admit it, but she was damn right. All he served to lose if he held back, was the chance of Peter himself and a life different from what was laid out for him.

—

“My first kiss? Um fifth grade I think. Though I didn’t really ask for it or want it so… I guess it was kinda stolen from me.” Peter laughed out as he lounged back on the grass by the lakeside. The stars were twinkling high above them, diamonds on a pitch black canvas. Tony was already laying back as he asked the question. Peter brushed his knuckles again in the dark. “What about you? I bet you were a playboy even back when you were ten.”

“Not exactly. To tell you the truth I was a bit of a loser.”

“Really?”

“No.”

“You ass.” Peter giggled, lashing out playfully and hitting Tony’s arm that was bent behind his head. He ran along the bare skin before placing his soft palm on his stomach.

“But I was a huge nerd. Still am. Girls weren’t into that kind of thing so I didn’t have much luck there.” Tony said, licking his lips and letting out a long breath. All the girls he’d been with were fickle, and wanted a relationship he couldn’t provide. He did date Pepper Potts for a while in high school, but they broke after he cheated on her during spring break. He felt bad about it, told her it was some girl he’d met on her way to the big parties. He didn’t have the heart or the guts to tell her it was with a hot bar tender from the gentleman club. He was nice, and Tony liked how he dressed to show off his body. Pepper called him every horrible name under the sun and he deserved every single one. In the future he’d make it up to her, and they’d laugh about it. She’d tell him she had an incline about his preferences but was too dumb and young to save them both the heartache. They’d become good friends later on in life, but for now, she still wasn’t on speaking terms with him.

“What about…. Boys?” Peter asked softly, voice going unusually demure and nervous.

“What about them?”

“How much…. Luck have you had with them?”

“Are you asking if I’ve kissed a boy Peter?” Tony sat up and Peter instantly followed. His cheeks were blushing even in the faint starlight and the reflection of the moon across the water before them. “Have you… ever kissed a boy?”

The air grew tense, but in a heart trembling way. Tony’s heart thundered in his chest, his skin tingled and his pupils dilated when he looked over at Peter. His hair was ruffled by the summers night breeze, his cheeks dusted a beautiful shade of pink and his eyes even cast downward shone like gemstones. His frown wasn’t the most pleasant sight to Tony, but everything else was a thing of beauty, a sight he could never forget.

“I… didn’t have much luck when… it came to girls either.” Peter finally whispered, chewing on those tempting lips of his. “I..didnt want luck with them either.” He looked at Tony then and edged closer to his face. He smelled like campfire and foliage, with a hint of natural scent that was intoxicating. Tony leaned in too. “My first kiss was a boy.”

“And your last?” Tony whispered, his voice breathy and he felt Peter’s hitched breath breeze across his parting lips. Close, but not close enough.

“That was my last.” Came the small, almost inaudible reply back.

“Lets change that then.”

Tony had never felt elation like this when their lips finally met. Soft, shy pecks. Peter pulled back to take a shuddering breath but Tony followed and pulled him back to him. They pressed against each other, kisses more open until Peter gave in and let Tony in. Tender, loving and slow. Nothing like what Tony usually gave and took but it was everything and more.

A kiss and a person he could and would never forget. Under a scattering of stars, his hometown had never felt so right to be in until that moment. And never would again.

—

Summer ended. It had to. It was inevitable. A radio played some songs on the way out as everyone said their goodbyes. Most were see you again soon or it was cool to hang out again.

Nat kept it civil and didn’t get emotional when everyone wished her the best on her journey. She showed some when Steve gave her a hug, wished her to always be safe and that she always had a place to come back to with him is she ever needed it. She wiped her eye once and thanked him. To Tony she handed him a bent cigarette and told him he owed her. He promised he’d return the favour when he visited her in Malibu by her penthouse. She grinned and with that left with her backpack slid over her shoulder, heading towards the truck that Clint was driving. He never saw her again. He hoped that wherever they ended up together, that they were both happy. Found their peace by the sounds of the ocean.

His heart broke when it was time. They’d both been avoiding it, trying to spin the moments out longer and longer by saying goodbye to everyone until there was no one left to say it to. Just them. Just the two standing by the entrance, facing away from one another, trying to muster up the courage to turn around and meet each other.

Tony spun around first. The bus was already stationed in the car park, ready to go. Waiting on its final passenger.

Peter’s shoulders shook as he clung to the straps of his bag, eventually sighing and turning around, looking up at Tony with a tearful gaze. He was still beautiful even when he cried.

“I don’t want to go.” He whimpered, and Tony felt his lip wobble then, his own eyes stinging with tears. He didn’t want Peter to go either, he wanted to hold him there, keep him in his arms like he done every night and make him stay. Stay with him, always. But he couldn’t. He had to go home. There was more for him there than here, in this godforsaken place. The city had opportunities that Tony couldn’t give him.

“I dont want you to go either, but you have to.” Tony sighed, and reached up to catch a tear falling from Peter’s dark lashes. He sniffed hard, wishing he could just lean in and do what he wanted to do, kiss his beloved until they both couldn’t breathe. Instead he croaked out. “You cant stay here. Theres nothing for you.”

“Come with me!” Peter gasped out, clutching Tony’s arm so tightly his fingers dug in. “Come with me right now to the city. We can make it out there, you can do what you want. We could find somewhere to live and you can even try a bagel and-“

The bus horn honked impatiently and Peter lowered his head again before looking back up once more to Tony. “I love you. Please.”

Tony’s heart was shattered. He couldn’t go. He couldn’t even though he wanted to with every fibre of his being. The song on the camp radio drifting through the air sung about following love wherever it goes and he wished he could do as it instructed. But it was the wrong place, wrong time for the most right thing in his life to happen.

“One day, I’ll come to the city for you. Wait for me and I’ll be there. I promise. I promise and… I love you too.” He pressed he head against Peter’s, taking him in for the last time. The moment. The scent of petrol in the air, the warm summer breeze. Burning embers scented shirts and a sweet kiss on beautiful lips. One that said goodbye…

—-

The honking got louder and soon it made Tony realise that it wasn’t in his bittersweet memories of the past but in real life, right now. The car in front had drove on and right now Tony was the cause of an angry traffic jam. Shouting came from behind him as he clicked the car into gear and drove forward. He turned the radio off, blinked his tired eyes hard and focused on nothing but the road for the rest of the journey to his office.

He’d never found Peter. Had tried so many times over the past ten years but never got very far. Every potential lead didn’t go anywhere, and no one knew a boy with copper brown waves and eyes that shone light emeralds in the starlight. It was like he never existed. A phantom, a memory.

The day Peter got on that bus and it drove out of the lot and out of town to the freeway, Tony drank until he couldn’t see. And the day after. After that he listlessly packed for college and the rest went by in seasons, which turned to years. He left his hometown behind, attended MIT and graduated with honours. Went back for a while to find Rhodey had joined the airforce after his dad was gone, but left a froward address so Tony always knew where to find him even if he wasn’t at home anymore. A job came up in the city and Tony took the chance with both hands.

Partly because he was qualified for city work, partly because it was finally his time to stop Peter waiting for him. It was finally their time.

That had been four years ago. Tony was promoted now, ran his own office. Had a good life, a nice apartment and social circle. Yet something was always missing. A hole that could never be filled, not with all the bagels in New York.

—

“Sorry I’m late. Traffic was a nightmare.” Tony grumbled to his PA as stormed in to the place, sinking down into his chair behind his desk and sighing loudly, putting his head in his hands and rubbing his face hard.

“Its fine Mr Stark. But the interviewees are here waiting. Should I send the first one up?”

“Yes, if you could.” Tony replied, head still in his hands, palms pressing on his eyes, trying to rid himself of distracting thoughts. Of dazzling smiles and soft hands. He didn’t sit up until he heard the PA speak quietly to someone and direct them to Tony’s office. When he heard the scuff of polished shoes stop on the floor, Tony sighed for the last time and dropped his hands, blinking back to the now and reaching out for a pen and pad. “Apologises for the delay, I hope you didn’t wait too long.” He said.

“Not too long, just long enough.” Came a voice that Tony felt his body freeze up over.

His eyes slowly glanced up to see and there it was what he had silently willed it to be. Chestnut brown curls, slicked back some and styled, but not overly like alot of the men in the city did. Like Tony had his. Soft features, more defined in maturity but still delicate and pale skin from flashes of sunlight through the skyscrapers. And there on his lips sat a dazzling smile, matched only by eyes of hazel, glinting and familiar.

“You kept your promise.”

Tony felt a smile grow on his face as he stood up from his desk, crossing it and standing in front of him. His heart was so full, his eyes filling up.

“You waited for me.” He spoke softly, and Peter blinked back his own tears with a nod.

Sometimes it was just the scent in the air, the burning of a campfire. Sometimes it was just a feeling, of a teenage heart trembling. Sometimes it was in a moment, of reuniting after so long. And sometimes it was in a song, one that played back on the radio and connected fate. For Tony and Peter it was all of those things, not only during that one fateful summer, but then on for the rest of their lives.

**Author's Note:**

> For Starker Week 2020 :)


End file.
